T. Thompson — Discovery of Hippopotamus, 8^c. 207 



pletely disintegrated with the exception of the central portions. The 

 excavations of this winter were closed with the discovery of bones 

 representing most of the remaining portions of the Hippopotamus 

 skeleton. We are thus led to the interesting inference that this huge 

 animal must have lived and died near to the spot where its remains 

 were found, since they must have been laid in their sandy grave 

 before decomposition had set in. 



As regards the condition in which these interesting Drift-remains 

 were found, it may be remarked that the soil seems to have been 

 very unfavourable to their preservation, large portions of the bone 

 being so completely decayed as to be distinguishable by colour alone 

 from the surrounding sand, while often the articulated terminations 

 only would bear removal. None of the bones presented marks of 

 gnawing or were water-worn. 



East. 



SECTION OF DRIFT AT HAWKER'S HILL. 

 1 



'100 ft . 



West 

 'A 





Section 1 unites -witli Section 2, at the point marked A. in each, and forms one continuous line 



East and Wet t. 

 3. Cross-section (Nortli and Soutli) of Drift, as far as excavated, showing the termination of 



the Deposit against a hanli of Kimmeridge Clay. The thick hlack line on the top of 



section is the surface-soil. 

 (V.) Valley towards Shafteshury. The Drift commences in Section 1, and] rests on the Kim- 



meridge Clay (e) . 



a. Thin hed of sand stained with Oxide of Iron, with fragments of Chert not rounded. 



b. Green Sand and Blue Clay, with a few angular stones ; 3 feet in thickness. 



c. Green Sand almost pure and free from stones ; 3 feet thick. 



d. Sub-rounded stones imbedded in Blue Clay and silt; 2-3 feet. 



e. Kimmeridge Clay. 



Eespecting the nature of the Postpliocene deposit (see Woodcut), 

 the greatest thickness of the portion hitherto excavated is only about 

 10 feet. Beneath the sod of the field is, first, a thin bed of sand (a), 

 stained with oxide of iron, and containing fragments of chert, etc., 

 not rounded. Next follow (6), 3 feet of Green sand and Blue clay, 

 with a few angular stones, and succeeded by about the same thick- 

 ness of Green sand (c), almost pure and free from stones. The base 

 of this deposit {d), is a 2 to 3 feet bed of sub-rounded stones — the 

 largest, perhaps, equal to a double fist — imbedded in blue clay and silt, 

 which had evidently formed the bottom of a river for a lengthened 

 period. Its compact nature is evidenced by the belief of the la- 

 bourers that it was an old road. Nearly all the bones were found 

 either resting on, or imbedded in this stratum, with the exception of 



